| The Teacher in Ancient Rome: The Magister and His World, by Lisa Maurice, investigates a particular aspect of education in ancient Rome, namely the figure of the teacher. After identifying and defining the different kinds of teachers found in the Roman education systems, Maurice then illuminates their ways of life both as professionals and as members of society. This text provides a survey of the physical environment in which teachers worked, and the methods, equipment, and techniques they used in the classroom. Slavery, patronage, and the social and financial status of the different kinds of teachers are all considered in depth. The book also examines the ideological issues surrounding teachers, discussing the idealized figure of the teacher, and the frequent differences between this ideal and the actual educators. Also considered are the challenges posed by the interaction between Greek and Roman culture, and later between paganism and Christianity, and how these social clashes affected those responsible for educating the youth of society. The Teacher in Ancient Rome is a comprehensive treatment of a figure both instantly recognizable and strikingly different from that of the modern teacher. |
